On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)

It was the sixth film in the Bond franchise, the first without Sean Connery and the only one to star actor/model George Lazenby as 007. It also happens to be the most underrated of all the Bond movies.

As an apostle of the Connery Bond, I had never seen On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) until recently, always hearing that it was a sub-par movie not worth seeing. In reality, it is sheer porn in terms of wardrobe, tailoring, texture, color, interior design, exterior location and cars.

Co-starring Diana Rigg and Telly Savalas, along with an appearance by a young Joanna Lumley, it is a blaze of stunning visual style. And beyond the aesthetics, it is the only Bond movie until Casino Royale (2006) to give James a real emotional dynamic. The final scene actually made me feel sorry for the man.